


The Quiet Boy Who Lives With His Mum

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, First Time, Frottage, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Romance, Simpleton!Merlin, Stalking, Stuttering, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-24 22:45:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1619705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Arthur moves to Gedref, he acquires a stalker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in parts at Camelot Land.

Arthur’s first day in Gedref is when he first sees him. He’s at the grocery, buying things for his new house, when he suddenly becomes aware of someone staring at him in his peripheral vision. When he turns to look, the man who’s staring doesn’t even try to look away. He’s tall and lean, and has wide, blue eyes with long beautiful lashes, and Arthur can’t help but stare back.

They’re too far apart for speech, but Arthur quirks a brow in question. The man’s eyes simply widen further, as though surprised Arthur can see him.

Then a woman walks behind him, a short lady with light brown hair, and says, “Come along, Merlin.”

The man doesn’t move at first, not for a few seconds, still simply stares openly at Arthur. But then he turns on his heel and says, “C-Coming, Mother.”

• • •

_Merlin._

Arthur thinks about him a lot. He wonders why Merlin stared. He wonders about Merlin’s curious eyes. He wonders when he’ll see him again.

• • •

The second time Arthur sees him, Arthur isn’t sure it’s him. He’s only just left his house and is about to start walking when he catches sight of a pale figure he’s seen only in his dreams. The instant he turns around, trying to get a closer look, the figure drops, hidden behind a neighbour’s rose bushes.

Arthur doesn’t question it.

• • •

The third time is weeks later, and Arthur sees him first. He’s in the grocery again and turns a corner when he sees Merlin, then quickly jumps back. He doesn’t want Merlin to know he’s seen him yet, but Merlin is partially turned away, and Arthur peers around slowly, silently.

Merlin’s wearing a cotton jumper, purple and with sleeves that reach his fingertips, and grey joggers that look old and tattered. His hair is longer, curlier, and there’s more stubble on his jaw from what little of his face Arthur can see. He holds himself tall and straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and his arms swing back and forth occasionally, reminding Arthur of a child.

And then he speaks, “What d-d-day is it, Mother?” and Arthur had thought his voice would be higher, thought he remembered it not quite so deep, but that’s probably his mind playing tricks on him, making him think Merlin is younger than he really is.

“It’s Friday, Merlin,” the woman beside him replies. Arthur can only just see her from his hiding place, but it isn’t her he’s interested in, not at all. “Reach up and get that tin of soup for me, would you?” she says, pointing to the shelf.

Merlin reaches up with his long arms and grabs a tin, handing it to her, and that’s when Arthur finally turns, because he _knows_ he looks odd to the other people here, lurking behind a corner like this. He walks by the two of them, and it’s as though he can feel the exact moment when Merlin notices him, like a prickling on the back of his neck, he senses it, though Merlin doesn’t make a sound.

Arthur stops though, pretends to search for something on the shelf, and when he turns his head to glance at Merlin, it’s to see Merlin and his mother walking away, Merlin’s neck nearly twisting from trying to stare as long as possible before going out of sight.

• • •

He only catches a glimpse of Merlin that Saturday night. He’s taking the rubbish out when a shadow slinks behind a hedge. He’s not sure if it’s Merlin or not, but he speaks into the night anyway.

“Hi, Merlin.”

There’s no response for a few moments, just the rustle of the leaves in the Gedref air, until Arthur’s on his doorstep, nearly inside, and even then Arthur wonders if he imagines it.

“H-Hi.”

• • •

Arthur doesn’t want to ask anyone about Merlin, because word spreads fast in a small town, but it gets to a point where he can’t help it anymore. He asks Lancelot, because Lance has become his closest friend since moving here, and he’s sure the man is trustworthy.

“Do you know anything about a man named Merlin?” he asks when they’re at work.

Lance shrugs. “Just as much as anyone knows—he’s the quiet boy that lives with his mum, acts really strange all the time.”

“But nothing else?”

“He has a stutter, I think. Haven’t heard him talk much.”

“Do you know how old he is?”

Lance tilts his head then, giving Arthur a curious look. “Why?”

“Just wondering.”

_I think he’s stalking me. I think I like it._

Lance shrugs again. “More than twenty, less than thirty. Who knows?”

• • •

Arthur doesn’t know how he knows Merlin is outside, but he knows. He can feel it under his skin, like a sixth sense. He thinks he can feel Merlin’s eyes on him outside the window of his living room, but doesn’t dare turn to look.

He feels his cock getting hard from it, from having Merlin’s eyes on him, and doesn’t try to keep from touching himself. He just rubs his erection through the fabric of his joggers at first, leisurely, unhurried, watching telly without watching telly, but then he gives in, takes his cock out and strokes properly, thinks of Merlin’s long, swinging arms, the strong line of his back, and the large, blue, all-seeing eyes. He thinks of Merlin’s timidness, wonders if Merlin’s shy in bed too, if he’s ever even had sex before, and he comes to the thought of Merlin gasping his name, of being Merlin’s first.

When Arthur finally dares to get up and look out the window, there’s no one there. But when he breathes across the glass, there’s a handprint.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur knows Merlin won’t approach him first. If things were left to Merlin, the stalking would continue forever. He doesn’t want to embarrass Merlin by forcing him to stop hanging around outside and come in, but he never sees Merlin alone otherwise.

He needs a plan.

• • •

He stands in the window at night, knowing Merlin can see, and writes a message on the glass, backwards so Merlin can read it.

_ MY NAME IS ARTHUR _

• • •

When he wakes up in the morning, he checks before going to work, breathing over the glass. One of the R’s is backwards.

_ HI AЯTHUR _

• • •

He spends the day incongruously excited, and wonders what message he should leave next. He can’t think of anything that doesn’t sound stupid. He wants to say  _ I like your eyes _ and  _ Why are you watching me? _ and  _ You can talk to me _ . 

Lance looks at him weird.

• • •

But he doesn’t have to think of a message. There’s another one when he gets home.

_ WHERE ARE YOU FROM? _

Merlin got the R’s right this time. Arthur wonders how slowly he had to drag his fingers across the glass in concentration. He wonders what those fingers would feel like on his skin.

He imagines he’s writing his answer on Merlin’s stomach, imagines Merlin jumping from the light tickle just below his navel.

_ CAMELOT _

• • •

They talk that way for weeks. Even when it rains.

Arthur starts thinking it’s stupid.

• • •

Arthur sees the first sign for Idirsholas after a month of indirectly speaking with Merlin. As far as he can tell from the poster, it’s a big festival held every autumn, though for what isn’t clear.

“What is it?” he asks Lance.

“Exactly what it sounds like. Just a celebration. With foods and drink and games...you know, festival stuff.”

“But why?”

“It’s just something that happens. Every town has its traditions. I dunno, man. But it’s fun. You should go.”

Arthur hesitates, wanting to ask what’s on his mind, but not wanting to.

Lance answers anyway, and Arthur wonders when he’d become so transparent. “Merlin always goes with his mum.”

“In a town this small, I bet everybody goes.”

“Not the old women who can’t walk anymore.”

“I’ll think about it.”

• • •

Some nights Arthur still wanks in his living room. Some nights he closes his eyes, others he doesn’t.

He never looks at the window.

• • •

Arthur doesn’t need to ask Merlin what he means when he gets a message the morning after one such instance of putting himself on display. He understands perfectly what Merlin means.

_ I CAN SEE YOU _

Arthur’s pulse quickens the second he reads it, even though he knows Merlin isn’t out there in the garden at that moment. But nonetheless he feels like Merlin is behind him, in front of him, beside him, everywhere. He hasn’t seen Merlin since they’ve started this game, not at the grocery, not on the pavement, not anywhere, though he’s seen Merlin’s mum often enough. He wonders where Merlin’s been.

He hasn’t asked though, and he doesn’t ask now, only writes his reply, getting hard again at the memory as he does.

_ I KNOW _


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur’s been in Gedref almost four months the day he sees Merlin and his mum on the bus. He gets on, nearly trips when he makes eye contact with Merlin, and can’t breathe normally all the way to a seat. He doesn’t have to wonder if Merlin’s heart beats as frantically as his does. He knows.

That one glimpse of Merlin is burnt into his vision—Merlin’s hair is shorter, his ears more prominent, not unshaven like he was the last time Arthur saw him but clean, and his eyes as big as ever. His eyebrows seem darker, as though more hair grew and made them thicker, but maybe Arthur’s simply forgot what they looked like before. He wishes he had a photo so he could stare at Merlin’s face properly, the same way Merlin stares at him.

Merlin and his mother get off two stops before Arthur’s, and Arthur expects the glance Merlin casts his way. He doesn’t expect the twitch of lips that almost resemble a smile.

• • •

Arthur’s never even thought about it before.

What the hell does Merlin look like when he smiles?

• • •

“Idirsholas is tomorrow,” Lance reminds him at work.

“I know, it’s only on every wall in the bloody town.”

“Are you going?”

“Probably.”

“So yes, then.”

Arthur doesn’t reply.

“I’m going with my girlfriend, Gwen. You should find us, okay?”

“Okay.”

• • •

He doesn’t try to find Lance and Gwen right away. He tries to find Merlin. He searches the crowd, scanning the faces of the townspeople for the one he’s only seen a few times but would know anywhere.

He finds it by one of the fires.

The heat of the flames makes Merlin’s figure blur, but Arthur can just make out Merlin’s face through the smoke. He hasn’t been seen yet, which is exactly what he wants, and tries to make his way around so he has a better view. For the first time, he sees Merlin without his mother.

She’s not far away though, standing by a refreshments table. Arthur only looks long enough to register her presence before returning his gaze to Merlin. Merlin, whose slender hands reach out for the fire roaring in the metal bin, whose eyes stare in wonder at the dancing flames.

Arthur furrows his brow the longer he watches. What is Merlin doing? It looks like he’s seeing how close he can get his hands without getting burnt, but why would he do that?

“Merlin!”

Arthur jumps along with Merlin at the sound of the name, and Arthur sees Merlin’s mother snatch his hands away vehemently.

“I thought I told you, fire _burns_ , Merlin,” she says.

Arthur can only just hear Merlin’s answer.

“I kn-know that, I’m not s-s-s-stupid.”

“If you know that, then don’t do it, Merlin. It’s not a game.”

She gives him a warning look before turning back around, and Arthur wonders how he could’ve missed it before.

Merlin is...

He’s something.

• • •

Maybe Merlin’s not a child, but now Arthur feels a bit wrong for wanting him. Yet he still does want. He _yearns_. He wants to know what it feels like to be inside Merlin, wants to know if Merlin would like being inside him, and there’s another want, a new want, no, a new _desire_.

Arthur desires to protect.

• • •

He watches as Merlin does it again. Merlin lifts his hands hesitantly, whipping his head back over his shoulder a few times to check on his mother, but then he pushes his hands slowly forward, hovering them over the fire. He lowers them, just a little, before bringing them back up, waves his fingers over the flames, and it looks like he’s petting them, or trying to move them like puppets, Arthur doesn’t know, but now that he knows Merlin is _Merlin_ , he can’t quite get his breath as he watches. He both wants and doesn’t want Merlin’s mother to turn around. He wants to watch Merlin’s awed, illuminated face, fire making his blue eyes look golden, but he wants Merlin to be safe, to be careful, for fuck’s sake.

Finally, Arthur can’t take it. He walks forward, and Merlin doesn’t see him, not until he’s right beside him.

“I would hate if anything happened to you,” he says.

• • •

Merlin jumps, gasping, with eyes open and alert like a startled animal. His hands fly to his chest, curling inward, and he looks guilty, he’s blushing, and he takes a few steps back.

Arthur can only guess what Merlin’s thinking: _This is the man who knows I watch him wank. He caught me playing with fire._

Arthur doesn’t know what Merlin’s going to do, but he looks like he’s going to turn and bolt. Arthur tries to stand relaxed and still, friendly and unthreatening, and after a few seconds, Merlin’s tongue darts out to lick his lips, and one of his hands slowly rises, one slim finger pointing up.

• • •

It’s slow. Arthur wonders what people around them must think as Merlin’s finger approaches his face, but doesn’t turn to look. He doesn’t look anywhere except Merlin’s eyes, alternating between right and left, trying to catalogue each different fleck of blue. He sees himself from Merlin’s perspective in the black pupils, wind blowing his fringe to the left.

Then Merlin’s finger touches the tip of his nose.

• • •

Arthur thought it would feel special having Merlin touch him. There’s no jolt of electricity in his veins, there’s no lust coiling in his groin. His heart beats faster, but that’s it, he’s only mesmerised, and moves his gaze from Merlin’s eyes to where Merlin’s finger slides up and down the long bridge of his nose.

Merlin laughs then, a throaty chuckle escaping through his grinning mouth, and Arthur’s world shifts.

• • •

“Merlin!”

It’s his mother again, and Merlin jumps as he did before, recoiling away from Arthur guiltily. The woman always at Merlin’s side is suddenly there, holding Merlin’s elbow and looking at Arthur apologetically.

“I am so sorry about my son, he doesn’t know any better, really.”

Merlin looks down, frowning, but remaining silent.

 _No_ , Arthur thinks. _He knows not to touch people._

“It’s fine,” is what Arthur says. “No harm done.”

She holds her hand out and smiles. “I’m Hunith. I can’t believe I haven’t met you yet.”

Arthur shakes her hand. “Arthur. It is rather surprising. I was under the impression everyone knew everyone here.”

Hunith laughs. “It does seem that way at times, especially for those of us who’ve lived here our entire lives.”

“Have you?”

“Oh, no, not me, but I’ve been here long enough that it feels like it. Merlin has, though. He was born just over in Sigan Hospital,” she finishes, curling an arm around Merlin, who’s still staring at his feet.

“How long ago was that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Hunith gives Merlin a nudge. “Tell Arthur how old you are, Merlin.”

Merlin glances up at Arthur, then back down quickly. “I’m tuh...tuh...” He gives up and holds up his hands, a four and a two.

“I think you mean...” Arthur takes a chance and reaches out for Merlin’s wrists, moving them until they cross and the hands switch places. “Twenty-four?”

Through his fingers, Merlin’s grin is even wider than before, and he nods, letting his hands drop again.

• • •

“Did you move here alone?” Hunith asks.

“Yes,” Arthur says. “Apparently my mother was from here and had a house on Tintagel Avenue. I only just learnt of it when my father left it to me in his will. I never knew her, so I suppose I moved to try to get closer to her. I haven’t regretted the decision so far.”

“That’s good to hear. Not about your father, of course.”

“My father’s dead, t-t-too,” Merlin blurts.

“Merlin,” Hunith chides. Merlin shrugs.

“It’s alright,” Arthur says.

• • •

Lance walks up then, presumably with the woman who’s his girlfriend, and for the first time Arthur finds himself resenting Lance’s presence.

“Hey, Arthur, glad you could make it.”

“Yeah. I was just meeting Merlin and Hunith.”

The woman, Gwen, waves. “Hi, Merlin.”

Merlin lowers his eyes, and seems to mould more into Hunith, but waves.

“It was nice meeting you, Arthur,” Hunith says, sensing Merlin’s discomfort.

“Oh, yes, a pleasure. I’ll see you later, Merlin,” Arthur says.

Arthur tries not to sigh as Lance takes up all his attention, introducing Gwen to him.

• • •

Arthur doesn’t spend the whole day at Idirsholas. He gets bored quickly because he still doesn’t know many people.

But he drinks.

He drinks a lot.

• • •

The sun is probably an hour from setting when Arthur makes an excuse to go home. He sits on the bus with his cheek pressed to the cool glass, almost misses his stop but doesn’t, then stumbles the rest of the way.

He trips on the doorstep and bangs his knee.

“Ow.”

• • •

He doesn’t move.

It’s really just easier not to.

• • •

“Arthur?”

Arthur knows that voice. His heart beats a little quicker at that voice. But his body’s so heavy and he’s so tired, that it’s still easier to just lay there.

He hears joints crack as a shadow crouches over him. He tries to open his eyes a little more to see Merlin’s face, but he can’t quite do it from this angle. He makes it as far as the collar of Merlin’s shirt before it starts to make his head ache.

“Arthur.”

• • •

Arthur feels Merlin take the keys from his pocket, then hears the jangle as the door’s unlocked. He feels hands slide under his arms, pulling him up, and in the back of his mind, he’s surprised Merlin is strong enough to drag him in.

He’s even more surprised when Merlin kicks the door shut after they’re inside and continues dragging him into the living room, groaning under the strain.

Arthur thinks maybe he should put forth a little more effort, but that takes so much energy, and he kind of likes Merlin taking care of him.

So he doesn’t.

• • •

Merlin manages to get him on the sofa, then stands there catching his breath while Arthur tries to keep his eyes open.

It isn’t long before Arthur can’t anymore.

• • •

He thinks the hand has been on him a while, but he doesn’t wake up until it’s halfway down his back. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even open his eyes, but his skin tingles all over, because he knows whose hand that is.

It moves down, into the dip of his spine created from laying on his stomach, and up, slowly up, before stopping, like it’s unsure, then moves some more, hesitantly over the swell of his arse, and Arthur hears a shaky exhale as he himself holds his breath.

The hand is warm, the touch is light, and it softly eases down his left leg, to his calf, to his ankle, before moving to the right, to the ankle, to the calf, and Arthur lets go of his held breath as it reaches his arse again, slow, steady, not as hesitant. It stops in the middle of his back again, palm spread between his shoulder blades, rubbing in circles as though in comfort.

“I would h-hate if anything h-h-happened to you,” he hears.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur wakes up in the dark.

His back is sore, and he can’t feel one of his arms because he slept on it, meaning it tingle-burns when he finally moves, but he makes himself get up to relocate to his bed. He toes off his shoes at the bottom of the stairs, undoes the button of his jeans as he walks through the corridor, and lets them drop to the floor once he’s in his bedroom.

Which is when he pauses, left arm still throbbing with pins and needles, though that’s the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.

There’s a bottle of water by his bed.

• • •

He doesn’t check to see if anything’s missing in the morning. He doesn’t think it’s necessary.

• • •

There’s no more messages on the window. Even when Arthur leaves a _HELLO_ , there’s no reply.

He wonders if Merlin still hides out there at night.

He wonders if he did something wrong.

• • •

It’s kind of pathetic, but Arthur goes to the grocery every day the next week. He doesn’t care if people talk; he’ll say he forgot this or ran out of that or such and such slipped his mind and he had to come back.

• • •

Arthur sees Merlin again on Thursday.

He and his mother are the only ones in the queue, and Arthur pretends to be occupied as they talk with the girl at the counter. She’s short and blond and Arthur can’t remember her name but he knows it starts with a V because the V on her nametag is huge compared to the rest of the letters. She has her hair in two plaits on either side of head, so Arthur figures she’s young, and she’s nodding at Hunith’s words so much while smiling that she looks like some ridiculous toy.

“So you like music, Merlin?” Arthur hears her ask.

Merlin nods.

“What kind of music?”

Merlin pauses, but then he shrugs.

“Ever thought about playing an instrument?”

Merlin shakes his head.

“Why not? I’m sure you’d be good.”

Merlin shakes his head.

“What about singing? I know you’ve got a lovely voice, I’ve heard it once.”

Merlin sighs, and it’s obvious he doesn’t want to be there.

“Merlin, don’t be rude,” Hunith says.

“It’s fine, Hunith,” the girl says. “You’re probably just bored, aren’t you, Merlin?”

Nothing happens for a few seconds, but then Merlin’s face twists and he turns, storming off through the exit.

Hunith calls after him, and when he doesn’t respond, she apologises quickly to the girl before hurrying after him.

• • •

Arthur doesn’t _really_ need the bag of crisps in his hand, so he puts them back and tries to discreetly follow. He probably looks obvious anyway, but by that point Arthur doesn’t care.

He sees Merlin and Hunith to the right, further up the pavement. He doesn’t know what to do—he wants to go to Merlin, but Hunith is there, and it would make things awkward. Could he use the excuse of being worried about Merlin after having seen what happened in the shop, or would that be too invasive?

While he tries to make up his mind, he hears Merlin yelling. Not real yelling, but yelling for Merlin, certainly louder than Arthur’s ever heard him, and Merlin’s back is to him, his body hiding Hunith from where she stands on the other side.

“—don’t l-l-like her!”

“Merlin, she was just being nice and making conversation.”

“She thinks I’m d-daft.”

“No, she doesn’t, Merlin.”

Arthur hears Merlin’s voice go high and mocking, “‘You’re p-p-probably just bored, a-aren’t you, Merlin?’ Fucking c-c-cunt.”

“Merlin!”

“I want to rip her stupid p-p-plaits from her-her-her stupid head.”

“That’s enough, Merlin.”

• • •

Arthur decides then, pushing himself forward with determination. He takes a couple steps to the right so Hunith can see him approach and puts on his most concerned face, which isn’t too difficult. She recognises him and her chiding expression shifts when she meets his eyes.

“Oh, Arthur, hello,” she says.

“Hi. Is everything alright? I thought I heard Merlin yelling.”

Merlin’s gone rigid and silent now, but his brows are still pushed together in anger while he stares at the ground.

“Everything’s fine, Merlin’s just a bit upset.”

Arthur looks at Merlin, who doesn’t look back. He doesn’t think Merlin will tell him what’s wrong, but he wants to help somehow.

And he wants to talk to Merlin about what happened the night of Idirsholas. If not now, when?

“Can I tell you a secret, Merlin?” Arthur asks. “I think it might make you less upset.”

Merlin looks up, his brow no longer furrowed in anger, but in curiosity. Slowly, he nods, and Arthur glances at Hunith before leaning in close to Merlin’s ear. Merlin turns his head a little.

“Did you touch me while I was sleeping?” he whispers.

He can almost hear Merlin’s lips separating, Merlin’s jaw dropping, and when he pulls back a little to look, he sees Merlin’s blushing. Even though Merlin doesn’t nod, Arthur figures that’s answer enough, and leans back in.

“It’s wrong to touch someone without their permission, Merlin.”

“I’m s-s-sorry.”

“If you’d asked, I would’ve given you my permission.”

Arthur steps back, and Merlin turns his head to face him again. His cheeks are red but he’s smiling.

“Okay?” Arthur says.

“Okay.”

“What’d you tell him?” Hunith asks.

Merlin puts a finger to his mouth. “Shh. It’s a s-s-secret.”

• • •

The next time Arthur sees Merlin is the next day. He’s walking up to his door, coming home from work, when he sees a shadow slink around the side of his house. He stops.

“Hi Merlin,” he says.

It’s quiet for a few seconds, and he nearly goes inside, but then he sees one of Merlin’s ears poke out, then an eye.

“H-Hi.”

• • •

Arthur doesn’t know how long they stare. It feels like a long time though.

• • •

“You haven’t been for a while,” Arthur says finally. He doesn’t mean to call Merlin out on the stalking, but it’s the first thing that comes to mind. He wants to know why Merlin stopped talking to him.

“I live fa-fa-far. It’s a l-l-l-long walk.”

Arthur frowns, both liking and disliking the idea that Merlin went to so much trouble to see him. “How far?”

“One one one Ashka-ka-kanar Street, Gedref, Western I-I-Isles,” Merlin says, like a recitation, like he can’t help himself. His eye and ear disappears again, and he groans. “I mean just A-A-Ashkanar Street. Because you kn-know the rest. Because y-you live here, too.”

Arthur can’t help but laugh, and then somehow things are easier. “Wanna come in?”

Both eyes emerge then, and Merlin’s eyebrows are high, hopeful. “Yes.”


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin doesn’t come in right away. He stands in the doorway, looking unsure, as if by stepping over the line he’ll be stepping into lava.

“You’ve been in before, Merlin,” Arthur reminds him.

Merlin looks down, blushing. “It was d-d-different.”

Arthur doesn’t see how at first, but then he does. Merlin hadn’t known what was going to happen that time. He’d been helping. Now, when he steps inside, things are going to change between them, and Merlin can sense it.

Arthur holds out his hand.

• • •

Arthur closes the door behind him, and when he turns back to Merlin, still holding his hand, Merlin says, “I lied.”

Arthur tilts his head. “About what?”

“I didn’t st-st-stop coming because it’s far,” he says, looking away. “I...like you. But...I d-d-d-didn’t know if you like b-b-boys. I was scared.”

Arthur sort of thinks it’s funny, because how could Merlin not know? Did he think anyone would let someone watch while they have a wank in their living room, or let someone stand outside their house at night? Did he think Arthur was just being nice?

“Merlin.” Arthur cups his face, making Merlin look at him. “I love boys.”

• • •

It happened slowly but Arthur remembers it as happening all at once. Merlin has him pressed against the door, hands on his shoulders, their bodies aligned from chest to knee, and lips incessantly kissing kissing kissing. Arthur wraps his arms around Merlin’s waist and pulls him closer, as close as he can, and feels Merlin’s cock against his, just as hard, through his jeans. Merlin whimpers and his hips jerk forward, they don’t stop, and Arthur doesn’t think Merlin _can_ stop, he just ruts against him, gasping and desperate. Arthur shoves his tongue in Merlin’s mouth but Merlin’s tongue retreats as he squeaks in surprise, and Christ, Merlin’s a bad kisser, but they’ll work on it, fuck will they work on it. For now though, there’s hands and chests and thighs and cocks, and as long as it works for Merlin, it works for Arthur, because he doesn’t want it to ever end.

• • •

“I w-w-want to fuck you, Arthur,” Merlin says.

Arthur moans, because yeah, he wants that too, he wants it any way he can get it with Merlin really, and he’d wondered what Merlin would like, what he’d _be_ like, and now he has his answer.

“I think about it,” Merlin says, grinding against Arthur again. “A lot.”

Arthur doesn’t care if he looks utterly wanton or not; he hitches a leg up and curls it around Merlin, pushing his hips forward and leaning most of his weight on his shoulder blades. Merlin loses it at that, presses down and ruts into Arthur with quick, stilted thrusts, one hand moving down to grab Arthur’s arse and help keep him in place, and he’s whining, making the sweetest, most wrecked sounds Arthur’s ever heard right into the curve of Arthur’s neck.

• • •

“Ah, ah, Arthur!”

Arthur probably should have expected it, but when Merlin suddenly stills, shaking and whimpering and panting, it’s a surprise. Merlin doesn’t take his face away from Arthur’s throat, most likely because he’s embarrassed, so Arthur lowers his leg and strokes the back of Merlin’s neck.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Arthur says.

• • •

“Here, take them off.”

Arthur undoes the button of Merlin’s jeans while Merlin keeps his hands at his sides. When he starts to pull down, taking Merlin’s pants along with them, Merlin’s hands come up and hold his pants in place while the jeans fall to his ankles.

Arthur looks up, but Merlin’s still looking down, not meeting his eyes. “You don’t have to,” Arthur says. “I mean...we can always not.”

Arthur feels bad enough now that he’s here, like he’s taken advantage of someone who doesn’t know any better, and he cringes when he thinks about what Hunith would make of the situation.

“N-N-N-No! I want to! Please.”

“Okay. As long as you’re sure.”

“But I’ve never...”

“Been naked in front of someone else?”

Merlin bites his lip and nods.

“Would it be easier if I was?” Arthur asks.

Merlin pauses, but then nods again.

“Alright.”

Arthur takes his shirt off first, letting it fall to the floor. He kicks off his shoes as he undoes his belt, then his trousers. He takes his socks off next, then finally his pants, stepping out of the pooled fabric at his feet and baring his cock, still hard, a bead of precome on the tip.

Merlin’s just standing there with wide eyes that dart up and down, his mouth gaping, but Arthur only feels a little self-conscious. Merlin’s seen him before, after all, maybe not fully undressed, but his cock at least.

Merlin presses a tentative hand to Arthur’s chest, and a quiet “Oh,” escapes. “No w-w-wonder you were so h-heavy.”

Arthur laughs, and Merlin pulls his hand away, looking down again.

“It, um. It’s b-b-bigger up close.”

Arthur chuckles. “Yeah, I think most things are, Merlin.”

Merlin rolls his eyes, and the sight is so unexpected that Arthur laughs loud enough to make Merlin jump.

“Wh-What?”

Arthur shakes his head. “Nothing. Just funny to see you roll your eyes.”

“Oh.” Merlin raises a hand, one finger extended, and puts it on Arthur’s nose. Arthur furrows his brow, looking down, and Merlin laughs. “Just f-f-funny to see you cross your eyes.”

“Ah. I’d wondered why you’d laughed.”

“You looked st-st-st-stupid,” Merlin says, poking Arthur’s forehead and chuckling.

“Very cunning, Merlin.”

Merlin frowns a little and shifts his legs, his knees rubbing together. That’s when Arthur remembers.

“Ready to take them off now?” he asks.

Merlin purses his lips, then says, “Top first.”

He pulls his arms into his sleeves one after the other, then pushes his shirt over his head. It’s the first time Arthur’s seen Merlin’s chest, Merlin’s shoulders, even Merlin’s whole arms, and he wants to touch, but makes himself wait.

Merlin finally steps out of his shoes and the jeans at his ankles, and his hands hover hesitantly over his pants. Arthur doesn’t know if he’s still able to say they don’t have to do this anymore, not when he’s wanted this for so long, so he bites his tongue and waits, waits four seconds until Merlin hooks his thumbs into the waistband and pushes down.

Merlin’s actually rather skinny. Not in the unhealthy way, but Arthur didn’t expect to see so much bone. He can see the protrusions of Merlin’s hips, and his elbows look like they might kill someone, and his collarbones...Arthur kind of wants to run his fingers over those collarbones, but is also kind of afraid they might snap if he does.

Merlin’s got some muscle too though, mostly in his biceps and shoulders, but a little in his calves as well, and that’s what reminds Arthur that Merlin isn’t a boy, even when it usually feels that way. Merlin is a man, only three years younger than Arthur, and he wants to fuck Arthur like a man, and it looks like he’s certainly well-equipped enough to do so.

“Why are you l-l-looking at me like that?”

Arthur tears his gaze away from Merlin’s nipples and looks up. Merlin’s brow is furrowed in worry and uncertainty, and it’s wrong that that expression should be there.

Arthur raises his hands, letting his fingers touch Merlin’s wrists, and slides up Merlin’s arms. He steps closer, and he can feel the heat from Merlin’s body coming into contact with his own.

“Because I want you, Merlin.”

• • •

Arthur remembers how it happened this time, every slow, passing second. He remembers how Merlin’s hands started on the sides of his thighs, as hesitant as ever, before gliding up to his hips, holding on there as he took a couple of tiny steps forward. He remembers how Merlin’s lips looked, pink and full and a little chapped, when he started leaning in toward Arthur. He remembers how a soft kiss became a hard kiss, how Merlin’s fingers dug into his hips and pulled him closer, how Merlin’s hands lost their hesitancy and slid down to his arse, squeezing so possessively that Arthur couldn’t take it anymore, and he had to push Merlin onto the bed, straddle him, grind onto him, moan for more as Merlin kneaded the fleshy globes in his hands.

He feels Merlin get hard again, and he almost doesn’t stop, he almost thinks it would be perfectly fine if they just rubbed against each other like this until both of them come, but then he remembers that he’s Merlin’s first, and he wants it to be good, he wants it to be amazing, so he pulls away and sits up, catching his breath with his hands flat on Merlin’s chest.

“Wh-Wh-Wh—”

“You still wanna fuck me, don’t you?”

Merlin makes a little whimpering sound, and nods quickly.

“And do you know how?”

“Um. I’ve seen p-p-p-porn.”

Arthur can’t help smiling at Merlin’s blush, and he leans down, kissing Merlin’s neck as he lowers his voice to ask, “Is there a certain position you want to try?”

“All of them?”

Arthur chuckles. “Let’s stick with one or two for today.”

“For tod-d-d-day?”

Arthur pulls back and looks up. “Don’t you want to be my boyfriend?”

“Yes!”

He hadn’t known there’d been a knot in his chest, but he feels it loosen now, hearing Merlin’s affirmation. He lets out a relieved exhale and says, “Good. Because I only let my boyfriends fuck me, Merlin. And boyfriends fuck each other all the time. You want that, right?”

“Yes.”

“So we can fuck today, and tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that...”

“Oh God.”

“What I’m asking is, how do you want it today?”

“Not f-f-f-facing away.”

Arthur hadn’t expected anything less. He wants to see Merlin’s face, too.

Arthur raises his leg and rolls onto his back, and Merlin’s so light that it’s easy to make him follow, to pull him along so he’s still perfectly between Arthur’s legs, only now on top.

“Like this?” Arthur asks.

“Y-Yeah. But I think. I have to. P-P-Put something on first?”

Merlin doesn’t _have_ to, not really, because Arthur’s safe and Merlin’s a virgin, but Arthur figures yeah, they probably should, at least the first time. He nods and slides right a little, worming his way out from under Merlin to reach into his nightstand.

• • •

“Does it feel g-g-good?” Merlin asks.

No, it doesn’t feel good, not now, not yet; it feels like just having a cock up his arse because Merlin’s not moving, and it’s been almost a year since Arthur’s taken anyone. It may not feel good in his arse yet, but it does feel good in his mind, it feels good having Merlin there, knowing he’s inside, so Arthur nods.

“Yeah, yeah, feels good. Can you...?” Arthur pushes forward, shifts his hips up a little, and Merlin gasps, hands curling in the duvet on either side of Arthur’s body.

“H-H-How—”

“However you fucking want to, Merlin, however feels fucking natural, just fuck me already!”

Arthur’s stomach instantly drops, and he feels a wave of mortification for having lost his patience, especially when he sees the startled look on Merlin’s face. But then the expression changes, and it’s not shock, it’s determination, maybe even a little bit of anger, which just makes it even hotter when Merlin pulls out and slams back in, when he clenches his jaw and does it over and over again, hard enough to shunt Arthur up the bed, deep enough to hurt.

• • •

It’s when Merlin shuffles his knees forward and grabs hold of Arthur’s thighs that Arthur thinks he could probably come just like that. He’s imagined, he’s daydreamed, but the reality, the sight of Merlin thrusting, sweating, panting as he fucks Arthur, is so much better than anything Arthur’s mind could have ever conjured up. The knowledge that Merlin— _Merlin_ , whom everyone thinks is incompetent and incapable—has his brilliant cock pumping in and out of Arthur’s arse, is more than enough to have Arthur leaking precome onto his stomach, and when Arthur hooks his legs around Merlin’s waist, when Merlin makes _him_ whimper, that’s when Arthur can’t hold back anymore.

That’s when Arthur finally gives in and strokes his cock, squeezing his eyes shut as he comes.

• • •

“What d-d-d-day is it?” Merlin asks.

Arthur turns his head, looking at Merlin, who’s staring at the ceiling like it’s a puzzle. “It’s Friday.”

“Can I have your numb-b-b-ber?”

“Do you have a phone?”

“My house does.”

Arthur sighs and turns back to look at the ceiling as well. He has a bad feeling about it, but he can’t deny Merlin anything, not after what they just did.

“Okay.”

He’s pleasantly surprised when Merlin leans over and kisses him.

• • •

Arthur sort of expects his mobile to ring the next day, but he doesn’t expect it to be Hunith.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Arthur? This is Hunith, Merlin’s mum.”

Arthur instantly has a feeling of dread, even feels like he might be unwell. He didn’t want to tell Merlin not to tell his mum, because then Merlin would’ve asked why, and he would’ve had to explain, and Merlin might’ve got upset. Now he thinks maybe he should’ve cautioned Merlin after all.

“Oh, hello,” he says.

“I got your number from Merlin. He says you gave it to him?”

“Uh, yes, he asked for it when I saw him yesterday.” What else had Merlin said?

“That was sweet of you, thank you, he needs friends.”

A wave of relief washes over him, and he breathes easier. “It was no problem. I don’t have very many friends either, being new. I can’t imagine it’s easy for him.”

“No, it’s not, I’m afraid. He’s _so_ shy, and very self-conscious about his stutter, and there’s, there’s little things, you know, that he just doesn’t get.”

Most of that isn’t news to Arthur, but some of it is. He hadn’t thought Merlin cared much about his stutter; Arthur himself barely even pays attention to it.

“But anyway,” Hunith continues, “he asked if you could come over today. I told him you were probably busy—”

“It’s fine. I was just going to tidy up a bit, nothing that can’t be put off.”

“Oh that’s good, he’ll be so pleased. I don’t know what it is you told him on Thursday, but he’s been in a good mood ever since.”

Arthur holds back his chuckle, but can’t hold back his smile. He bets Merlin was in an even better mood when he went home the previous night. Losing one’s virginity tends to have that effect.

“What time did you want me to come over?” Arthur asks.

• • •

It’s Merlin who answers the door, smiling bright and excited, and even though Arthur has his worries about how the evening will go, that smile makes it a lot easier to push those worries down and step inside.

“I can’t believe you’re h-h-h-here,” Merlin says.

“I can’t believe you had your mum call me,” Arthur replies, checking to see Hunith’s not nearby.

Merlin frowns. “She w-w-wouldn’t let me. She said sh-sh-sh-she wanted to talk to you.”

That’s odd, but Arthur can’t think much on it because then Hunith comes in, smiling and waving.

“Hi! Sorry again for such short notice,” she says. “I told Merlin he ought to wait at least a day before ringing, but he insisted.”

Arthur shrugs. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t’ve given him my number if I didn’t expect him to use it.”

“I told you he wouldn’t c-c-care!” Merlin exclaims. Then he grabs Arthur’s hand and starts pulling him toward the stairs. “Come see m-m-my room, Arthur.”

“I’ll come get you when dinner’s ready, okay, Merlin?” Hunith says when they’re halfway up.

“Okay!”

• • •

Walking into Merlin’s room, Arthur’s sort of thrown back a few years, to a time when his own space was filled with books and video games and posters, and when clothes littered the floor. He feels like a teenager again, and when Merlin walks over to a shelf, pulling out games and talking hurriedly about them, it’s like he’s in college.

“...and this one is C-C-C-Caves of Balor, which is like a d-dungeon game with skeletons and s-s-s-spiders, and this one is Five K-K-Kingdoms, which is a strategy-gy-gy-gy game where you have to fight for p-p-p-p-p-p-po—” Merlin frowns, biting his lip and huffing, then tries again. “P-P-P-P—Control. And this one—”

“Caves of Balor sounds fine, Merlin,” Arthur says, sitting on the bed.

“Okay. But I’m a-a-always the mage, so you can’t be the mage.”

Arthur rolls his eyes. “Only losers rely on something as frivolous as magic, _Mer_ lin.”

“E-E-Excuse you, I kick a-a-arse with the mage.”

Arthur laughs. “Okay, Merlin.”

• • •

“No, no, you have to c-c-c-c-come back here and talk to the m-m-man in the stocks so we get a-a-a-another quest!”

“Why does the man in the stocks have a quest? That’s ridiculous.”

“Because someone st-st-stole his coinpurse and ran to the c-caves.”

“Why would someone run to a cave after stealing money? Why wouldn’t they go spend it?”

“Oh my God, Arthur, it-it-it-it-it-it’s a fucking _game_ , I don’t know!”

“Well sorry, I was just w-w-w-wondering.”

Merlin stops, and Arthur could punch himself in the face, he really could, because he doesn’t even think Merlin’s breathing, and when he dares to look, Merlin’s eyes are tearing up, full to the brim, spilling over when he blinks.

Arthur puts a hand on Merlin’s arm, and says, “Merlin, I didn’t mean—”

“You made fun of m-m-my stutter!” Merlin snaps angrily, turning hateful, tearful eyes on Arthur.

“I’m sorry, it just came out, it just happened.”

Merlin rubs at his eyes, and when Arthur raises an arm to put it around him, Merlin jerks away. Arthur feels his stomach lurch.

“Merlin—”

“I’ll only for-for-forgive you if...”

“If what?”

Merlin lowers his hand a little, peering over a knuckle. “If you kiss me.”

Arthur doesn’t know whether to be angry or amused, but relief is definitely the forefront of what he feels. Then he slings an arm around Merlin’s neck and ruffles Merlin’s hair, making Merlin flail in protest.

“Merlin, you idiot!”

“I don’t th-th-th-think this is a kiss!” Merlin exclaims, voice muffled in Arthur’s shirt.

Arthur lets Merlin go, and Merlin sits up, brushing his hair down. “If you want a kiss, you have to take it,” Arthur says.

Merlin does more than take a kiss. He presses his lips to Arthur’s but he also presses a hand flat against Arthur’s chest, pushing Arthur back until he’s lying on the bed underneath him. And the hand slides down as Merlin deepens the kiss, down until it’s between the V of Arthur’s jeans, cupping his cock.

It’s so good—Arthur even moans—but it can’t happen, not here, not now, so Arthur pushes Merlin back a little, not a shove, just a gentle nudge.

“Merlin, your mum...” If Arthur had felt like a teenager before, he definitely feels like one now, snogging behind a parent’s back like this.

Merlin chooses to ignore him though, and kisses him again, this time moving to sit astride Arthur the same way Arthur did the day before. Arthur even feels the first flick of Merlin’s curious tongue before Hunith’s voice makes Merlin jump back.

“Merlin!”

Luckily the door’s closed, and it sounds like she’s just down the corridor at the top of the stairs, but it still feels like too short a time between Merlin scrambling over, Arthur sitting up, and the door opening.

“Dinner’s done,” she announces, poking her head in.

“Okay,” Merlin says.

He gets up, and Arthur’s impressed by Merlin’s composure, but at this point he figures he really ought to stop underestimating Merlin.

• • •

Dinner’s silent to begin with, and Arthur realises it’s the first time he’s seen Merlin eat. He eats with his chair close to the table, forearms resting on either side, and turns his plate clockwise after finishing one portion of food to move on to the next. When he gets to the meat, Arthur notices that he cuts it all into cubes mostly the same size first, before putting his knife down and starting to eat.

“Where’s Camelot?” Merlin asks suddenly.

Hunith answers before Arthur has a chance to. “It’s the capital city of Albion.”

“So it’s n-n-not in the Western Isles?”

“No, it’s just south of the Northern Plains on the mainland.”

“Is it real-real-real-really far?”

“It would take a few hours to fly there. Why all these questions about Camelot, Merlin?”

“That’s where Arthur’s from.”

Hunith looks at Arthur then, and Arthur nods. “I am,” he says.

“Did you live there long?” she asks.

Arthur chuckles. “For twenty-seven years, yes.”

“Oh, but you can’t be more than—”

“Twenty-seven, nearly twenty-eight.”

Merlin furrows his brow a little. “I thought you were o-o-older.”

“Thanks, Merlin,” Arthur says, chuckling again.

“You a-a-a-act really old sometimes.”

“He acts his age, Merlin,” Hunith says.

Merlin’s brow furrows a bit more, his mouth tilting down in a frown. Arthur hopes that Merlin won’t get it, but of course he does, a glint of understanding appearing in his eyes a few seconds later.

“And I d-d-don’t?” he yells.

“Merlin—”

“You think I’m-I’m-I’m-I’m a child! Just like everyone e-e-else!”

“Merlin,” she says haltingly.

“I’m n-n-not a child.” He presses his lips into a thin line, glancing at Arthur, and Arthur’s stomach plummets, because he knows what Merlin’s about to do, what’s about to happen, but before Arthur can think of something to interrupt Merlin with, Merlin blurts it out. “Children don’t h-h-h-have sex.”

Arthur doesn’t dare look at Hunith, or at Merlin for that matter. He wishes he could shut his eyes entirely, blocking out the situation, but he settles for his food instead, staring intently at his broccoli. Still, it’s as though he can _feel_ Hunith’s jaw drop.

“Merlin, tell me you didn’t. Who would even—”

That’s when she stops, when Arthur knows she must be looking right at him, and even though he does the best he can not to, he blushes.

“Why sh-sh-shouldn’t I?” Merlin asks. “I’m a c-c-c-consenting adult, aren’t I?”

It’s not Merlin Hunith address though, but Arthur. “Arthur, you _didn’t_ , did you?”

Arthur doesn’t even want to be there anymore, he wants to run home and crawl under his bed, to disappear. “I...um...It just happened.”

“Arthur’s my boyfriend!” Merlin exclaims. Arthur feels his stomach drop a second time; really, Merlin’s just making it worse, digging them both into a hole.

Hunith sighs. “Merlin, I didn’t even know you were gay.”

Merlin blinks. “Oh. W-W-Well. I’m gay.”

Suddenly Hunith stands up. “Arthur, can I speak with you in the kitchen, please?”

It doesn’t sound like a question, and Hunith walks out like she expects Arthur to follow. So Arthur goes.

• • •

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Arthur swallows. “Well, I, er, like him, and he seems to like me, so—”

“Merlin can’t be in a relationship,” she says. “He’s not mature enough.”

Arthur frowns. “I think if Merlin wants to, then—”

Hunith shakes her head. “You don’t understand. He’ll want to, but he can’t. Merlin is...It’s almost like he’s...not fully developed. He’s quite young, in the mind, you see? He has trouble differentiating between right and wrong, and he acts on impulse. He’s not...he’s not _capable_ of understanding a proper relationship.”

“That doesn’t bother me. I can help him. I can teach him.”

“Arthur,” she sighs. “It’s like having a child. You won’t want to take care of him forever. You’ll get fed up with him because he can’t act like an adult, and then he’ll be devastated. I can’t allow this to continue.”

That gets on Arthur’s nerves a bit, and he struggles to stay polite. “Maybe he’s not mature enough to understand a ‘proper’ relationship, but I think he’s capable of making his own decisions. Anyone who’s watched TV or seen a film knows that sometimes people break up or get divorced or things don’t work out. He’s smart enough to know what he’s got himself into, just like anyone else who chooses to date someone. Maybe I will get tired of him, or maybe he’ll get tired of _me_ , but I don’t see that happening for quite a while, so I say if it makes us both happy in the meantime, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Hunith purses her lips, like she’s not sure, and Arthur can’t really blame her. He doesn’t know much about parenting or even about having a mother at all, but he can understand why Hunith feels the need to protect. She’s protected Merlin his whole life, and Arthur can imagine she’s rather hesitant to let someone else give it a try. But Arthur himself feels the need to protect, has felt something pulling him toward Merlin practically since the first time he saw him.

“He deserves a chance to be happy, Hunith,” Arthur says when she still hasn’t replied. “He deserves a chance to have the experience like anyone else. I promise I’m not just using him, I could never do that. I care about him.”

There’s a few seconds where Hunith’s expression doesn’t change, but then her face smoothes out and she sighs, finally nodding.

“He does deserve it,” she says. “That’s all he’s ever wanted, to be treated like everyone else. I’d wondered if he’d ever find someone who could be patient with him, and you’ve been so good to him already, so thank you.”

“It’s not a problem at all. As I said, I care about him.”

• • •

The rest of the town finds out when Merlin waits for Arthur outside the building where Arthur works. As Arthur leaves and turns to walk toward the bus stop, he sees Merlin leaning against the building, holding a box to his chest.

“Merlin?”

Merlin instantly looks up, and breaks into a smile when he sees Arthur. Arthur walks over to him, and Merlin holds out the box.

“I w-w-waited for you,” he says. “I brought you b-b-b-biscuits.”

Arthur doesn’t know whether to be embarrassed or flattered. People are looking at them as they pass, and Arthur knows they’re wondering what Merlin is doing away from his mother, giving Arthur a box of biscuits and smiling. But it’s also the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for him, and it’s sweet, and it makes Arthur feel kind of warm inside, his heart overflowing with happiness at the surprise gesture.

So Arthur takes the box, figuring it’s only a matter of time before all of Gedref finds out anyway, and thanks Merlin with a kiss. He can tell from just those two seconds that Merlin had a few biscuits himself, unable to resist the temptation, and that just makes it even better.

“Thanks, Merlin,” Arthur says as he pulls away. “Have you been out here long?”

Merlin shakes his head, and he’s still smiling as he licks his lips. “No. Only a-a-about an hour.”

Arthur thinks that is rather long, but doesn’t say anything on it. He takes Merlin’s hand and starts walking with him toward the bus stop. “How did you get here? This is an even further walk than my house.”

“Mother says I’m n-n-not supposed to take the bus by my-my-my-myself, but I took the bus by myself.”

“Ah, okay, we’ll keep it a secret then.”

Though Arthur knows it won’t be a secret for long, not when they’re _still_ getting odd looks and multiple glances down to their joined hands.

• • •

“Did you want to come home with me?” Arthur asks in a whisper on the bus.

Merlin blushes, bites his lip, and nods. “But I don’t h-h-have to. Mother’s always t-t-t-tired after work.”

Arthur squeezes Merlin’s hand. “I can always rest afterwards. We’ll eat and then have biscuits on the sofa while we watch a film or something, okay?”

“And then af-af-af-after the film, can we...again? Be-Be-Before I have to leave?”

Arthur chuckles. “Yes.”

Merlin grins happily and puts his head on Arthur’s shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

The next time Arthur sees Merlin is every day for the rest of his life. He stops being known as the new bloke in the small town, and Merlin isn’t just the quiet boy who lives with his mum. Arthur is Merlin’s boyfriend and Merlin is Arthur’s.

Some people still think Merlin is slow or stupid or not all there, and sometimes when they kiss in public Arthur catches people giving them wondering looks, but it usually doesn’t bother him too much. The truth is Merlin isn’t slow or stupid or not all there. In fact he’s brilliant in all the ways other people should be but nobody is.

And if sometimes Arthur likes him to stand outside and watch while he wanks, that’s between them.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] The Quiet Boy Who Lives With His Mum](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3825175) by [rowanbrandybuck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowanbrandybuck/pseuds/rowanbrandybuck)




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